


A New Experience

by cumberbabeswillrise



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: College, Multi, Sherlock - Freeform, Twins, college!lock, collegelock, twin!lock
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-11
Updated: 2013-06-11
Packaged: 2017-12-14 17:12:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/839332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cumberbabeswillrise/pseuds/cumberbabeswillrise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock and his twin sister Octavia go to college. They meet John Watson and Molly Hooper, with whom they become fast friends. A murder on their campus is enough to rile up Sherlock and Octavia's curiosity. They avoid murderer's and Mycroft's watchful eye, all the while trying to live normal college lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New Experience

I had never liked people all that much. During my school days I'd noticed that people lied and they cheated. I never really had any friends in school and I didn't care to. The only real friend I'd had growing up was my twin sister, Octavia. She and I had the same mannerisms and we enjoyed the same things, but she knew how to interact with people. Integrating with the general population had never been my strong suit. People only left me alone because they didn't want to mess up their chances with my sister.  
Now, as I enter college, I'm determined to figure everyone out. I'd learned the simple art of deduction from my brother, Mycroft, and I used it often. I wanted to perfect my skills, to become the master.   
“You ready to go?” Mycroft asked me, lingering in the doorway. I knew Mycroft didn't want us to leave. Being seven years older than me, Mycroft had already experienced college. Mycroft looked nervous, and Mycroft never looked nervous. I knew he was positively worried.   
“Yes,” I stepped away from the window. “I am ready.” I picked up my bags from the bed and carried them out the door.   
“It'll be fun. You can branch out, meet new people. I'm sure you'll have a good time. Don't forget about your studies, though. Keep your head on straight and you'll be fine, Sherlock. I promise.” Mycroft took one of the bags as he walked beside me. We walked down the stairs and out of the town house.  
“I know, M. Is Octavia ready?” I asked as I loaded my bags into the car. Octavia's bags were already in the trunk. My sister packed heavily, even though her dorm room was small.  
“I'm ready, Sher.” Octavia said behind me. I turned to look at my twin sister. She was wearing jeans and a hoodie, her lace up combat boots slung over her shoulder. Her long curly hair was thrown into a ponytail and she wore no makeup.   
“You couldn't put on your shoes before you left?” I joked with her. My sister had never cared about her appearance, usually opting for jeans rather than a skirt. Our mother often scolded Octavia for it, but then she'd leave the house wearing sweat pants and mother didn't want that. So she let her wear jeans.  
“If I could enter buildings without shoes on, I would. Besides, who wouldn't want to see my cool socks?” She motioned toward her mismatched blue and green socks.   
“Just don't step into any puddles before getting in the car.” Mycroft kissed her on the forehead, then ushered Octavia into the car. I followed her and Mycroft slid into the front seat.  
Octavia pushed in her headphones as soon as the car began moving. She turned up her music loud enough for me to hear, then leaned back and closed her eyes. I smiled as I saw her tapping her fingers on her thigh.   
“Your room mate has already arrived, Sherlock. Octavia's is on her way. His name is John Watson and he's at Dresden on a scholarship. He's studying to be a doctor. Very smart, he should help you stay on track.” Mycroft read from a file on his lap. “Just stay out of trouble and don't snoop into people's personal lives, Sherlock. I won't be there to clean up your messes.”   
Octavia pulled her headphones out. “Shut up, M. He'll be fine. He can take care of himself.” Octavia leaned forward to look at the file. “Now, who's my room mate?”  
Mycroft gave her a look, then turned toward the file. “Molly Hooper. She wants to be a medical examiner. She's very smart as well. Doesn't seem to have much of a personal life, she can keep you and your antics at bay. We don't want a repeat of McKinley's”   
“That was one time. Besides, I learn from my mistakes. Even if those mistakes are the most fun I've had.” She winked at Mycroft, then sat back in her seat.   
“I'm not going to be there to keep you safe.” Mycroft turned in his seat to look at the two eighteen year olds. They'd already attended the University two years early. They were both further extending their education. Now that they were of age, they were moving out. Neither of them wanted to stay in the Holmes Manor.  
“You act like I was the only one at McKinley's.” Octavia smiled at me.  
“You were the one who started the fight.” Mycroft growled at her.  
“She hit me first. Technically, Irene started the fight.”   
“Don't blame it on Irene. You did egg her on.” I smiled back at her.  
“Oh, you only defend her because you have a crush on her.” Octavia laughed. “I don't blame you. Irene and I are fine now. She told me she'd be writing to me in a few weeks.”  
“That Adler girl is trouble and I don't want either of you to become tangled in her web. Yes, Octavia you're good friends with her, but how can you be friends with someone whose nose you've broken?” Mycroft asked.  
“I don't know. We're both very much alike, M. We get along well, except for that one occasion. I blame it on the scotch, though.” Octavia put her headphones back in before Mycroft could scold her again. She closed her eyes and leaned against the window, pretending to be asleep.   
“Just please keep out of trouble, or at least try to. Mummy and Father don't need to be bothered by your antics, and neither do I.” Mycroft turned around in his seat and returned to looking at his file.  
I watched the scenery go by in a blur of orange and red. It was autumn and the leaves were changing. I'd never been very fond of nature, but I appreciated the beauty that it was. Sometimes I wished I could change like the leaves, but I knew I was doomed to a life of solitary confinement with my own thoughts. If any of us, Octavia would be the only one to fall in love, or have children. Mycroft and I weren't as socially... acceptable. We're often described as cold and emotionless, which suits us fine. Octavia was essentially the same as us, she just knew how to get people to like her.  
After about two hours in the car, Octavia unbuckled her seat belt and laid down on my lap. We'd always been close, and I'd liked that. She was my best friend, the only one I'd ever have. I felt her breathing slow and I was pretty sure she'd end up drooling on my knee. She fit comfortably in the small car since she was short, I was six foot four, while she was five foot two. People often didn't believe we were twins because of our height difference.  
I pulled her IPod out of her back pocket and shuffled through the songs. She had always had good taste in music. Now that I thought about it, she had good taste in almost everything. Octavia had always seemed perfect to me. She was perfect in school, in sports, at her job, and even at writing and painting. Our mother didn't like Octavia's liking for the arts. She sung and danced at local theaters during the weekends and the summer. I immensely enjoyed watching her performances.  
We pulled into Dresden University around noon. I woke Octavia and was quite happy to find that she hadn't drooled on me. We pulled our bags out of the car and bade Mycroft goodbye. Octavia and I's dorm rooms were in the same hall, which was nice. I'd get to see her more often. She slung her bags over her shoulder and looped her arm with mine. I walked her to her room, making sure her key worked, then went to my own.   
I didn't even need to use my key, for the door was wide open. My new room mate was standing over one of the twin beds, unpacking and refolding clothes. I lightly tapped on the door as I entered the room.  
He turned around. “Oh, hello! Name's John Watson.” John reached out his hand to me.  
I took it. “Sherlock Holmes.” He was short, only about five foot six. His sandy blond hair was cropped short and he wore a black tee and jeans. I could see that he worked out and ate well. He didn't have very many clothes and the ones he did have he kept very neat and clean. He grew up poor. The fact that John had a scholarship also said something. He probably worked very hard to get here.  
“Nice to meet you, Sherlock. Hope you don't mind, I just picked a bed.” John gave me a sheepish smile, then began folding clothes again.  
“It's fine, doesn't really matter to me.” I set my bags on the bed, then began to unpack as well.   
“Sher, please tell me you have my hair brush.” Octavia appeared at the door. She'd let down her hair from it's ponytail. It hung wildly down to her waist. She'd also changed into a long sleeve v-neck shirt.   
“Yes, it's in one of my bags.” I laughed, then began looking for it. Octavia had given me a few of her things for safe keeping, since she knew she'd forget them. “This is John Watson. John, this is my sister, Octavia.”  
John stepped forward to shake her hand. “Hi.”  
“Hello. You two getting along well?” She gave John a once-over. I knew she was deducing the same thing I had.   
“I've only just arrived, but yes. We're getting along well, Tave.” I dug deeper into my bag. Her small bag was somewhere in here. I finally found it and handed it to her.  
“Ah, thanks. You're a gem.” She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and left the room.  
“Twins?” John asked me.  
“Yes. I'm two minutes older.” I sat down on the bed and looked at the room. It was small, but not too small. It comfortably fit two beds inside along with two dressers. There was one small closet on the far wall for us to share. The walls were a light brown, with one large window opposite from the door. It overlooked the campus and all of the buildings.   
“I see. She's a lot shorter than you. I would have thought she was your girlfriend, but she looks too much like you.” John finished putting clothes in his dresser and sat down on his bed.  
“A lot of people make that assumption.” I looked at him.  
“She seems nice. Do you have any more siblings?”   
“Yes. An older brother name Mycroft.” I told him. John laughed lightly. “What?”  
“Not to be rude, but why do you all have such odd names?” I'd been asked that question hundreds of times, so I gave him my practiced response.  
“All of us have names like that. I guess I have Scandinavian ancestry. My father's name is Siger and his brother's name is Sherrinford. My mother's side has the same traditions. Her name is Esme and her brother's is Sven. It's a family name.”  
John nodded, but frowned. “But Holmes is an English name.”  
I raised my eyebrows. Not many people would have made that connection. Most people begin to ignore me after hearing about my name. “Yes. My grandfather was English, his wife was Nordic.”  
“Hmm. Interesting. Much more interesting than mine.”   
“Your name's English, but your features indicate Scottish heritage. Am I correct?” I asked.  
John looked surprised. “Yes.”  
“What about you? Any siblings?” I inquired. John immediately looked uncomfortable.   
“An older sister, Harriet. She's five years older.” John twiddled his thumbs together, then turned to unpack the rest of his things.   
John didn't get along with his sister, maybe was ashamed of her. I decided not to press on the subject, remembering what Mycroft told me before leaving us. Instead, John and I made small conversation for the rest of the night, getting to know each other. He seemed nice enough. He was smart, which was nice. I didn't want to have a room mate with whom I couldn't have an intellectual conversation. John seemed like he could hold his own, and that was a good thing, since I was generally overbearing.   
Octavia stopped by at around eleven with her room mate, Molly Hooper. She was an awkward girl with mousy brown hair. She was about as tall as John, making Octavia the shortest person in the room. Molly almost knocked over one of the lamps when Octavia caught her by the arm. Molly was very clumsy.  
“Molly, let's go before you accidentally kill someone. I heard there's a nice coffee shop around the block. It'll be fun, we can get some drinks.” Octavia shot them a look, then led Molly out of the room.


End file.
